Of what does politics consist except the making of imperfect decisions, many of them unjust and quite a few of them deadly?
Lewis H. LaphamRead
Under the rules of a society that cannot distinguish between profit and profiteering, between money defined as necessity and money defined as luxury, murder is occasionally obligatory and always permissible.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Society's confusion between necessity and greed can lead to ethical compromises and violence.
This quote by Lewis H. Lapham suggests that when a society fails to recognize the difference between essential needs and excessive desires, it can create moral ambiguities where extreme actions, such as violence, become justified. The juxtaposition of profit versus profiteering reflects the ethical dilemmas individuals face in a consumerist culture, indicating that moral clarity is often lost in the pursuit of wealth.
Themes
SocietyProfitEthicsViolenceNecessityLuxury
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about corporate responsibility, one might use this quote to highlight the moral responsibilities of businesses.
More from Lewis H. Lapham
All quotes βA society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of its business, cannot help making celebrities of the people who would destroy it.
Lewis H. LaphamRead
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